This invention relates to a new and improved apparatus for testing the non-conductance of rubber matting under the application of high voltage.
Where electrical repairs are made in areas that have good conductive substances such as steel or metal, it is necessary to provide a mat that is relatively thin and lightweight on which the repairman may stand. Such mat must be portable so that it can be rolled out for use in a prescribed area and thence rerolled and carried to the next location or packed conveniently for moving to the next location. It is necessary that such matting withstand high voltage. Such matting is also very useful in areas such as decks of ships where there are control panels and switch gears to provide proper insulation of the power stations. Heretofore, such matting would be manually unrolled and small sections of the matting would be tested for its resistance to the application of a high voltage. After one section or a portion of the roll is tested, the roll is manually manipulated such as to position a new section for testing. Such process is slow and tedious. A further recent method and apparatus used a pair of spaced rolls that intermittently tested a predetermined length of matting as it was transferred from one roll to the second roll. The present invention provides means for automatically testing spaced portions of matting to a high voltage charge and thence advance the matting to test a further pair of spaced sections or portions. This test procedure is continued until the entire length is tested with provision being made to overlap small portions to assure complete testing of the entire matting. The present invention materially increases the rate of testing.